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fliotographic 

Sciences 
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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions 


Institut  Canadian  da  microraproductions  historiquas 


1960 


Tachnical  and  Bibliographic  Notas/Notas  tachniquas  at  bibiiographiquaa 


Tha  Inatituta  haa  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographically  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction,  or  which  may  tignificantiy  changa 
tha  uaual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  balow. 


0 


D 


D 


□ 


D 


D 


Coiourad  covars/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 


I     I   Covars  damagad/ 


Couvartura  andommagia 

Covars  rastorad  and/or  Saminatad/ 
Couvartura  rastaurAa  at/ou  paliiculAa 


I      I   Covar  titia  missing/ 


La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 


I      I   Coiourad  maps/ 


Cartas  ifAographiquas  an  coulaur 

Coloured  ink  (i.a.  othar  than  blua  or  black)/ 
Encre  da  coulaur  (i.a.  autra  qua  biaua  ou  noiral 


I      I   Coiourad  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  at/ou  illustrations  an  coulaur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
RaiiA  avac  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  causa  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliura  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  la  long  da  !a  marge  intirieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouttes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissant  dans  la  texte. 
mais,  lorsque  cela  ttait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6tA  film6es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentalres  supplAmentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  la  mailleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  At*  possible  tin  se  procurer.  Les  details 
da  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  paut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  una 
modification  dans  la  mAthoda  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquAs  ci-dessous. 


□   Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 


□ 
m 


D 


Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagAes 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurAas  at/ou  pelliculAes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dAcolorAes,  tachetAes  ou  piquAes 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  dAtachAes 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


Quality  inAgale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  material  supplAmentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Mition  disponibie 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tisbjes.  etc.,  have  been  ref limed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiallement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuiiiet  d'errata,  une  pelure. 
etc.,  ont  M  filmAes  A  nouveau  de  fa^on  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


Tha 
tot 


Th« 
pos 
ofi 
filn 


Orii 
bas 
the 
sioi 
oth 
firs 
sioi 
or  I 


Thi 
shi 
Tl^ 
wh 

Ma 

dif 

enl 

be 

rig 

rec 

mi 


This  item  is  filmed  at  tha  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-deasous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

1 

22X 

26X 

30X 

7 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  film«d  h«r«  hat  b««n  r«produc«d  thanks 
to  tho  gonorotity  of: 

MoriMtt  Library 
^inivtreity  of  Ottawa 


L'oxomplairo  film4  f ut  rtproduit  grica  A  la 
g*nAro«it4  da: 

Biblioth4qiM  MoritNt 
UnivariM  d'Ottawa 


Tha  imagaa  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  baat  quality 
poaaibia  consldaring  tha  condition  and  laglblllty 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spaclficationa. 


laa  imagaa  auivantaa  ont  At*  raproduitaa  avac  la 
plua  grand  aoin,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattatA  da  I'axampiaira  filmA.  at  an 
conformitA  avac  laa  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covara  ara  filmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impraa- 
sion,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impraa- 
sion,  and  anding  on  tha  laat  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illustratad  impraaaion. 


Las  axamplairas  originaux  dont  la  couvartura  an 
papiar  aat  ImprimAa  sont  filmAs  an  commanpant 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  un  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darniAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'impraaaion  ou  dlllustration.  soit  par  la  sacond 
plat,  salon  la  caa.  Tous  las  autraa  axamplairas 
originaux  aont  filmAa  an  commandant  par  la 
pramlAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'impraaaion  ou  d 'illustration  at  mn  tarminant  par 
la  darniAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  talla 
amprainta. 


Tha  last  racordad  frama  on  aach  microficha 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  *^  (moaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  V  (moaning  "END"), 
whichavar  applias. 


Un  daa  symbolaa  suivants  apparaltra  sur  la 
darniAra  imaga  da  chaqua  microficha,  salon  la 
cas:  la  symbols  — »>  signifia  "A  SUIVRE".  la 
symbols  V  signifia  "FIN". 


Maps,  platas,  charts,  ate.  may  ba  filmad  at 
diffarant  raduction  ratios.  Thosa  too  larga  to  ba 
antiraly  includad  in  ona  axposura  ara  filmad 
baginning  in  tha  uppar  laft  hand  cornar,  laft  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  framaa  as 
raquirad.  Tha  following  diagrams  illustrata  tha 
mathod: 


Las  cartas,  planchas,  tablaaux,  ate,  pauvant  Atra 
filmAs  A  das  taux  da  rAduction  diff Arants. 
Lorsqua  la  documant  ast  trop  grand  pour  Atra 
raproduit  an  un  saul  clichA,  il  ast  filmA  A  partir 
da  I'angia  supAriaur  gaucha.  da  gaucha  A  droita, 
at  da  haut  9n  bas,  mn  pranant  la  nombra 
d'imagas  nAcassaira.  Las  diagrammas  suivants 
illustrant  la  mAthoda. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

JOINT    REPORT 


OK   TIIK 


UNITED  STATES  AND  BRITISH  COMMISSIONER^^ 


ON   THE 


ALASKAN-CANADIAN  BOUNDARY. 


X>S30S]2id:B£:Xl    31,    18Q5. 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT    PRINTING    OFFICE. 
I8u8. 


wpwi*"™^ 


1^^^ 


I'il^ 


i^ 


1 


ALASKAN-CANADIAN  BOUNDARY. 


The  undersigned,  William  Ward  DufTield,  on  he- 
hc'lf  of  the  United  States  of  Ameriea,  and  William 
Frederiek  King,  on  behalf  of  Her  Britannic  Maj- 
esty, duly  appointed  Commissioners  under  and  by 
virtue  of  the  first  article  of  the  Convention  of  July 
22,  1892,  between  the  United  States  and  the  United 
Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  have  the 
honor  to  submit  the  following  joint  report  of  our 
proceedings  and  transactions  under  the  said  first  ar- 
ticle of  the  Convention,  which  reads  as  follows : 

The  High  Contracting  Parties  agree  that  a  coincident 
or  joint  survey  (as  may  be  found  in  practice  most  conven- 
ient) shall  be  made  of  the  territory  adjacent  to  thai  part 
of  the  boundary  line  of  the  United  States  of  America  and 
the  Dominion  of  Canada  dividing  the  territory  of  Alaska 
from  the  Province  of  British  Columbia  and  the  North- 
west Territory  of  Canada  from  the  latitude  of  54°  40' 
North,  to  the  point  where  the  said  boundary  line  encoun- 
ters the  141st  degree  of  longitude  westward  from  the  me- 
ridian of  Greenwich,  by  Commissioners  to  be  appointed 
severally  by  the  High  Contracting  Parties,  with  a  view  to 
the  ascertainment  of  the  facts  and  data  necessary  to  the 
permanent  delimitation  of  said  boundary  line,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  spirit  and  intent  of  the  existing  treaties  in 
regard  to  it  between  Great  Britain  and  Russia  and  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Russia. 

Application  will  be  made  wit'iout  delay  to  the  respec- 

3 


r 


tive  legislative  bodies  for  the  appropriations  necessary 
for  the  prosecution  of  the  survey,  and  the  Commissioners 
to  be  appointed  by  the  two  Governments  shall  meet  at 
Ottawa  within  two  months  after  said  appropriation  shall 
have  been  made  and  shall  proceed  as  soon  as  practicable 
thereafter  to  the  active  discharge  of  their  duties. 

The  respective  Commissions  shall  complete  the  survey 
and  submit  their  final  reports  thereof  within  two  years 
from  their  first  meeting. 

The  Commissioners  shall,  so  fur  as  they  may  be  able 
to  agree,  make  a  joint  report  to  each  of  the  two  (iovern- 
ments,  and  .they  shall  also  report  either  jointly  or  sever- 
ally, to  each  Oovernment  on  any  points  upon  which  they 
may  be  unable  to  agree. 

Each  (fovernment  shall  pay  the  expenses  of  the  Com- 
mission appointed  by  it. 

Each  CJovernment  engages  to  facilitate  in  every  pos- 
sible way  any  operations  which,  in  pursuance  of  the  plan 
to  be  agreed  upon  by  the  Commissioners,  may  be  con- 
ducted within  its  territory  by  the.  Commission  of  the 
other. 

The  High  Contracting  Parties  agree  that,  as  soon  as 
practicable  after  the  report,  or  reports,  of  the  Commis- 
sioners shall  liave  been  received,  they  will  proceed  to  con- 
sider and  establish  the  boundary  line  in  question. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  Commissioners  appointed 
under  this  article  was  held  in  Ottawa  on  the  28th 
day  of  November,  1892.  By  the  supplementary 
Convention  of  the  3d  February,  1894,  the  time 
for  the  completion  of  the  work  and  the  submission 
by  the  Commissioners  of  their  joint  or  separate 
reports,  which,  by  the  former  convention  expired 
two  years  from  the  date  of  the  first  meeting  of  the 
Commissioners — that  is  to  say,  on  the  28th  No- 
vember, 1894,  was  extended  to  the  31st  December, 
1895. 


5 

The  treaties  relating  to  and  defining  the  interna- 
tional boundary  line  between  Canada  and  the 
United  States  of  America  in  the  region  in  question 
are  the  treaty  between  Great  Britain  and  Russia, 
dated  .18-16  February,  1825,  and  the  treaty  between 
the  United  States  and  Russia  dated  30th  March, 
1867. 

Our  Commission,  under  said  Article  i  of  the 
Convention  of  1892,  applies  only  to  that  portion  of 
the  boundary  described  in  these  treaties  from  the 
southernmost  point  of  Prince  of  Wales  Island  to 
the  one  hundred  and  forty-first  meridian. 

With  a  view  to  the  performance  of  the  duty  im- 
posed upon  the  Commissioners  under  the  Conven- 
tion of  ascertaining  the  facts  and  data  necessary  to 
the  permanent  delimitation  of  the  boundary  line, 
and  under  the  option  allowed  them  of  making  either 
a  coincident  or  joint  survey,  Dr.  Thomas  C.  Men- 
denhall,  at  the  time  Commissioner  for  the  United 
States  (since  replaced  by  the  undersigned,  William 
W^ird  Duffield),  together  with  the  undersigned  Brit- 
ish Commissioner,  having  considered  the  large 
extent  of  unknown  territory  involved  and  the  com- 
paratively short  time  allowed  for  the  survey,  deter- 
mined that  it  was  advisable  to  make  the  survey  a 
joint  one;  that  is,  to  partition  among  the  officers 
working  under  them  respectively  the  territory  to 
be  surveyed,  arranging  at  the  same  time  that  each 
Commissioner  should  detail  attaches  to  accompany 
the 'several  surveying  parties  of  the  other,  for  the 
purpose  of  observing  and  verifying  the'r  work. 

The  United  States  Commissioner  undertook  to 
make  surveys  of  as  precise  a  nature  as  practicable  of 


the  principal  water  courses  which  traverse  the  coast 
strip,  and  the  British  Commissioner  undertook  to 
make  a  photo-topojjraphical  survey  of  the  moun- 
tainous regions  lying  between  these  various  water 
courses. 

A  preliminary  trignometrical  survey  of  the  prin- 
cipal deep-water  passages,  including  the  continental 
shore  line  from  Portland  Canal  to  Lynn  Canal,  had 
already  been  completed  by  the  United  States  Coast 
and  Geodetic  Survey;  and  careful  determinations 
of  the  geographical  positions  of  Mount  St.  Elias 
(as  hereinafter  given)  and  of  various  mountain 
peaks  in  that  region  were  made  by  the  same  organi- 
zation in  1892,  at  which  time  a  partial  survey  of  the 
shore  line  of  N'akutat  Bay  was  also  made.  This 
completed  work  helped  to  coordinate  the  detached 
surveys  of  the  various  parties  sent  out  by  the  two 
Commissioners. 

In  pursuance  of  this  plan,  during  the  year  1893, 
the  following  gentlemen  were  given  parties  on  be- 
half of  the  United  States,  namely: 

Mr.  Dickins,  on  the  Unuk  River. 

Mr.  Tittmann,  on  the  Stikinc  River. 

Mr.  McGrath,  on  the  Taku  Inlet. 

Mr.  Ogden,  on  the  Taku  River. 

Their  duties  were  to  make  surveys  of  these  water 
ways,  and  to  procure  as  much  information  as  pos- 
sible as  to  the  topography  of  the  adjacent  regions 
Mr.  Driscoll  accompanied  Mr.  Ogden  as  attachi^ 
appointed  by  the  British  Commissioner,  and  Mr. 
Robertson  accompanied  Mr.  Tittmann  in  a  like 
capacity.  Mr.  Dickins'  survey  of  the  Unuk  River 
was  made  in  conjunction  with  Mr.  Saint-Cyr,  of 


the  British  Commission,  who,  besides  making  a 
traverse  of  the  Unuk  River,  paid  partieular  atten- 
tion to  the  mountainous  regions  on  either  side  of 
the  river. 

On  behalf  of  the  British  Commission,  the  follow- 
ing gentlemen  were  placed  under  instructions  to 
make  topograpical  surveys  as  full  and  complete  as 
their  means  would  allow: 

Mr.  Saint-Cyr,  the  Unuk  River  and  the  moun- 
tainous region  on  either  side  of  it. 

Mr.  Klotz,  adjoining  him  to  the  west  and  non lo- 
west towards  Bradfield  Canal. 

Mr.  Talbot,  to  the  south  and  east  of  the  Uikine. 

Mr.  Gibb  /Hs,  to  the  west  of  the  Stikine. 

M.  Brabazon,  at  Holkham  Bay,  on  the  east  side 
of  Stephen's  Passage. 

Mr.  McArthur,  at  Sncttisham  Bay,  and  thence  to 
Taku  Inlet  and  Taku  River. 

Mr.  Ogilvie,  to  the  north  and  west  of  Taku  Inlet 
and  cast  of  Lynn  Canal. 

The  attachcSs  of  the  United  States  Commissioner 
accompanying  them  were  as  follows: 

Mr.  Flemer  with  Mr.  Talbot. 

Mr.  Pratt  with  Mr.  Gibbons. 

Mr.  Ritter  with  Mr.  Brabazon. 

Mr.  Welker  with  Mr.  McArthur. 

Mr.  Hodgkins  with  Mr.  Ogilvie. 

Mr.  Dickins  working  with  Mr.  Saint  Cyr  as  above 
stated. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  United  States  Com- 
missioner stationed  Mr.  Morse  at  Sitka  to  make 
astronomical  observations  for  the  determination  of 
chronometric  differences  of  longitude  between  Sitka, 


as  a  base  station,  and  the  observatories  established 
by  Mr.  Dickins  at  Burroughs  Bay,  with  Dr.  Ed- 
monds as  observer;  by  Mr.  Tittmann  at  Fort  Wran- 
gell,  with  Mr.  Putnam  as  observer;  and  by  Mr.  Ogden 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Taku  River,  with  Mr.  French 
as  observer.  At  each  of  the  above  stations  latitude 
and  longitude  were  also  determined.  The  United 
States  steamer  Hassler  was  employed  throughout 
the  season  in  making  the  necessary  exchanges  of 
time,  the  chronometers  being  in  charge  of  Mr.  Lord. 

The  parties  were  on  the  ground  and  the  work 
begun  in  the  middle  of  May ;  and  the  early  snow 
falls  rendering  mountain  work  impossible,  it  was 
found  necessary  to  retire  from  the  field  in  September. 

During  the  following  year,  1894,  the  following 
parties  were  placed  in  the  field : 

On  l)ehaif  of  the  United  States  Commission — 

Mr.  Pratt,  on  the  Chilkat  Inlet  and  River  and  on 
Chiikoot  and  Taiya  Inlets  and  Taiya  River,  he  being 
engaged  chiefly  in  triangulation. 

Mr.  Dickins,  on  Unuk  River  and  Chilkat  Inlet. 

Mr.  Flemer,  on  Chiikoot  and  Taiya  Inlets. 

Mr.  Ritter,  on  Chilkat  Inlet  and  River. 

Mr.  McGrath,  on  the  coast  westward  from  Yaku- 
tat  Bay  and  at  Lituya  Bay. 

Mr.  Morse,  at  the  Sitka  longitude  station. 

Latitude  and  longitude  were  determined  at  the 
observatory  at  Anchorage  Point,  Pyramid  Harbor, 
the  steamer  Hassler  making  the  necessary  chronom- 
eter trips  as  before. 

Mr.  Hayford  made  the  observations  at  Pyramid 
Harbor,  and  Mr.  Page  had  charge  of  the  chronome- 
ters on  the  Hassler. 


I 


-t;;. 


T"^' 


On  behalf  of  the  British  Commission — 

Mr.  Saint-Cyr,  at  the  head  of  the  Portland  Canal 
and  thence  to  the  Chickamin  River. 

Mr.  Klotz,  around  Bradfield  Canal. 

Mr.  Gibbons,  on  the  north  of  Frederick  Sound 
from  Horn  Cliffs  to  Port  Houghton. 

Mr.  Ogilvie,  on  the  east  coast  of  Lynn  Canal, 
also  on  the  outer  coast  beyond  Cape  Spencer. 

Mr.  Mc Arthur,  at  the  north  end  of  Lynn  Canal 
and  later  on  the  outer  coast  at  Lituya  Bay. 

Mr.  Talbot,  on  the  west  side  of  Lynn  Canal  to- 
ward Glacier  Bay. 

Mr.  Robertson  accompanied  Mr.  Pratt's  party  as 
attache  for  the  British  Commissioner.  Except  in 
this  instance,  the  system  of  attaches  was  discon- 
tinued bv  mutual  consent  of  the  Commissioners. 

During  the  winter  of  1894-95,  a  party  under  Mr. 
Ogilvie  ascended  the  Taku  River  for  the  purpose  of 
gaining  additional  information  as  to  the  region  ex- 
tending thence  to  the  vicinity  of  White  and  Taiya 
Passes,  which  lead  from  Lynn  Canal  to  the  interior; 
but,  on  account  of  tempestuous  weather,  the  expe- 
dition was  obliged  to  return,  having  accomplished 
nothing  beyond  a  traverse  survey  of  part  of  Taku 
River. 

During  the  season  of  1895,  Mr.  Brabazon  was  de- 
tailed by  the  British  Commissioner  to  the  region 
lying  between  the  mouth  of  the  Alsek  River  and 
Vakutat  Bay. 

Mr.  Welker  and  Mr.  Dickins  were  sent  by  the 
United  States  Commissioner  to  connect  the  surveys 
made  in  former  years  by  the  United  States  Coast 
and  Geodetic  Survey  in  Portland  Canal  with  those 


"> 


10 


WWR5" 


in  Revillagigedo  Channel,  and  to  determine  more 
accurately  the  longitude  of  the  stations  along  the 
Canal. 

Mr.  Dickins  and  Mr.  Welker  were  placed  in 
charge  of  parties  in  Alaska,  and  Mr.  Morse  was  sta- 
tioned at  Seattle  as  astronomer  for  the  redetermina- 
tion of  the  differences  of  longitude  between  that 
point  and  the  observatories  at  Port  Simpson,  B.  C, 
at  Mary  Island,  Alaska,  and  at  a  station  at  the  head 
of  Portland  Canal.  The  observations  for  latitude 
and  longitude  were  made  by  Mr.  French  at  Port 
Simpson,  by  Mr.  Dickens  at  Mary  Island,  and  by 
Mr.  Welker  at  Lion  I^oint,  Portland  Canal. 

Mr.  Young  was  in  charge  of  the  chronometers 
carried  by  the  steamer  City  of  Topeka  between 
Seattle  and  the  stations  at  Port  Simpson  and  Mary 
Island. 

Comparisons  between  Port  Simpson  and  Lion 
Point  were  effected  by  the  United  States  launch 
Fuca. 

The  results  of  all  these  surveys  are  exhibited  in 
the  accompanying  maps,  namely,  sheets  Nos.  i  to 
24,  made  on  a  scale  of  j^o^ijoy  vvith  contour  lines 
of  elevations  250  feet  apart,  from  the  surveys  of  the 
British  Commission ;  and  in  maps  Nos.  i  to  12  of 
the  United  States  Commission,  made  on  the  same 
scale. 

These  maps  have  been  agreed  to  by  us,  subject  to 
the  limitations  hereinafter  set  forth,  as  correct  repre- 
sentations of  the  topographical  features,  and  have 
been  signed  by  us  to  testify  thereto.  In  submitting 
two  sets  of  maps  which  cover  the  same  ground  and 
which,  to  a  large  extent,  have  been  prepared  inde- 


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pendently  in  the  offices  of  the  respective  Commis- 
sioners at  Washingfton  and  Ottawa,  it  is  understood 
that  wherever  there  is  a  difference  between  the 
maps,  either  from  different  methods  of  representing 
the  topograpliy  or  from  discrepancy  as  to  the  posi- 
tion of  natural  features  or  otherwise,  such  difference 
is  to  be  interpreted  by  reference  to  the  hereinbefore- 
described  scheme  of  partition  of  the  survey  work 
between  the  respective  Commissions ;  and  where  the 
surveys  cover  the  same,  or  nearly  the  same  ground, 
the  maps  are  to  be  taken  as  mutually  explanatory, 
having  regard  to  the  conditions  under  which  each 
survey  was  made.  The  continental  shore  line,  from 
latitude  54"  40',  to  Point  Coverdon,  at  the  south- 
westerly entrance  to  Lynn  Canal,  having  been  sur- 
veyed by  the  United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic 
Survey,  the  United  States  maps  shall,  in  case  of 
discrepancy,  govern  as  to  the  shore  line;  so  also 
from  Vakutat  Bay  to  the  one  hundred  and  forty-first 
meridian.  Hut  from  Point  Coverdon  northwesterly 
to  Vakutat  Bay,  including  Glacier  Bay  and  the 
other  bays  which,  with  the  exception  to  the  entrance 
to  Lituya  Bay,  have  not  been  so  surveyed,  the  maps 
of  the  British  Commission  shall  govern.  The  shore 
line  of  the  islands  of  the  Alaskan  archipelago  have 
been  mapped  according  to  the  surveys  of  the  United 
States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  wherever  such 
survey  has  been  made;  elsewhere  the  best  informa- 
tion available  has  been  used. 

To  show  the  topographical  features  of  the  coun- 
try in  another  way,  we  herewith  submit  photo- 
graphic views,  being  contact  prints  from  the  pho- 
tographic negatives  of  the  officers  of  the  British 


12 

Commission,  whose  work  was  largely  executed  as 
to  the  detail,  or  "filling  in"  by  means  of  these  views, 
according  to  the  method  known  as  photo-topogra- 
phy, the  framework  being  laid  out  by  triangulations 
which  are  shown  in  sheets  Nos.  25,  26,  27,  and  28 
of  the  British  Commission.  These  views  will  also 
serve  as  a  permanent  record  of  the  field  work.  Plans 
of  ihe  triangulation  executed  by  the  officers  of  the 
United  States  Commission  are  submitted  herewith 
on  sheet  No.  13  of  the  United  States  Commission. 

Besides  the  information  contained  in  the  maps, 
we  have  to  report  as  to  the  point  of  commencement 
named  in  the  Treaty  of  1825,  that  the  latitudes  of 
Capes  Muzon  and  Chacon  as  determined  by  the 
British  observers  are  as  follows: 

Cape  Muzon,  54°  39'  50". 

Cape  Chacon,  54°  41'  25". 

As  determined  by  the  United  States  observers 
these  latitudes  are: 

Cape  Muzon,  54°  39'  48". 

Cape  Chacon,  54°  41'  22". 

These  results  are  so  nearly  alike  that  there  is  no 
practical  discrepancy  between  them. 

Also,  the  summit  of  Mount  St.  Elias  is  by  the 
best  determination  in  latitude  60°  17'  35.10"  and 
longitude  140°  55'47.32",  being  28.830  nautical  miles 
from  the  line  of  coast  west  of  Vakutat  Bay  and  2,41 
statute  miles  east  of  the  one  hundred  and  forty-first 
meridian. 

We  conceive  it  unnecessary  for  us,  having  pre- 
pared maps  showing  so  much  detail,  to  enter  into  a 
lengthy  description  of  the  topography.  It  may  be 
well,  however,  to  add  some  remarks  upon  the  mode 


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of  occurrence  of  timber,  since  this  is  not  shown  on 
the  maps. 

Speaking  broadly,  we  may  say  that  the  average 
altitude  of  the  timber  line  between  Burrough's  Hay 
and  Lynn  Canal  is  2,500  feet,  being  a  little  higher 
in  the  south  and  a  little  lower  in  the  north.  Timber 
line  is  primarily  a  matter  of  heat,  so  that  altitude 
and  latitude  have  similar  effect.  However,  in  a 
country  of  which  so  much  has  but  recently  been 
uncovered  from  glaciers,  timber  line  is  affected  by 
another  factor,  and  that  is  the  presence  of  soil  for 
trees  to  take  root.  As  the  foot  of  a  mountain  is 
first  exposed,  the  forest  starts  there  and  in  time,  as 
exposure  and  consequent  disintegration  take  place, 
creeps  upward.  Now,  there  are  many  points  in  the 
area  above  referred  to  where  this  process  of  forest 
creeping  has  not  yet  reached  the  limit  set  by  climatic 
conditions,  and  hence  we  find  timber  lines  near  each 
other,  but  varying  in  altitude  by  hundreds  of  feet. 
This  is  most  noticeable  on  the  west  side  of  Lynn 
Canal.  Naturally,  we  would  expect  the  timber  line 
in  the  south  to  be  higher  than  in  the  north;  but,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  it  is  the  reverse  there,  being  scarcely 
2,000  feet  for  the  former  and  nearly  3,000  feet  for  the 
lattok.  In  general,  the  timber  line  on  the  east  side 
of  Lynn  Canal  is  somewhat  higher  than  on  the  west 
side.  Around  Juneau,  the  timber  line  does  not 
reach  the  2,000  feet  limit.  Between  the  entrance 
of  Glacier  Bay,  across  Dundas  and  Taylor  Bays  and 
Cape  Spencer,  the  timber  line  may  be  put  at  2,000 
feet  above  the  sea.  In  Glacier  Bay,  northward  from 
the  entrance,  the  timber  line  rapidly  descends,  and 
in  the  northern  part  the  forest  practically  disappears 


'4 

altogether.  In  fact,  along  many  of  the  smaller  bays 
there,  no  wood  whatever  is  founu.  This  phenome- 
non is  plainly  indicative  of  the  recent  recession  of 
the  vast  complex  of  glaciers.  On  the  outside,  be- 
tween Lituya  Bay  and  Cape  Spencer,  the  line  is 
barely  2,000  feet,  while  in  Vakutat  Bay  it  is  1,500 
feet.  Most  of  the  mountains  between  Yakutat  Bay 
and  Lituya  Bay  are  not  timbered  at  all;  but  this  is 
probably  due — up  to  2,000  feet — to  the  fact  already 
stated,  i.  e.,  that  the  recession  of  the  glaciers  is  too 
recent  to  admit  of  the  necessary  disintegration  for 
vegetation  to  spring  up,  as  well  as  to  the  effect  upon 
th2  temperature  of  the  nearness  of  the  existing 
glaciers. 

The  altitude  of  the  timber  line  at  various  points 
is  as  follows: 


Portland  Canal 

Unulc  River 

Burrough's  Bay 

Bradfield's  Canal. 

South  of  Stikine 

North  of  Stikine 

Thomas  Bay 

Endicott  Arm 

Snettisham  Bi:y 

Taku  Inlet 

East  side  Lynn  Canal 

Head  of  Lynn  Canal 

West  side  of  Lynn  CanaL 

Outside,  west  of  Cape  Spencer . 


Maximum,  i     Average. 


2,  600 
2,  900 
2,  800 
2,700 
2,700 


2,900 
3,000 
2,400 
1,500 


2,500 
2,600 
2,500 
2,500 
2,500 
2,500 
2,500 

2,300 
2,400 
2,  200 
2,500 
2,  500 
2,000 


It  is  understood  and  agreed  that  in  signing  this 
joint  report  and  signing  and  accepting  *he  maps 
they  have  submitted,  it  is  not  therefore  affirmed  or 


mtmt 


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15 

admitted  by  the  Commissioners  that  there  is  au- 
tliority  for  the  application  of  the  names  used  to 
designate  the  various  places,  mountains,  bays,  chan- 
nels, islands,  etc. 

In  witness  whereof  we  have  hereunto  set  our 
hands  at  Albany,  New  York,  this  31st  day  of  De- 
cember, 1895. 

W.   W.   DUKHEI.I), 

United  Stales  Commissioner. 

W.  F.  KiNd, 
Her  Majesty's  Commissioner. 


